Robert A. Ferrier was born on 1 December 1920 in Vermont to Ralph James Ferrier (1874-1954) (NY) and Lillian Alice (Archambault) Ferrier (1881-1949) (VT). Siblings included Charles William Ferrier, William Anthony Ferrier (1909-1973), Frances Elizabeth (Ferrier) James (1912-1999). In 1930 his maternal aunt, Florence Archambault (1884- ) lived with them. In 1940, he, his father, and J. Douglas Ferrier lived at 16 Myrtle, Burlington, Vermont.

He enlisted in the USAAF in Rutland, Vermont, on 30 December 1941, residing in Chittenden Co., Vermont. He was trained in the maintenance and operation od the photography camera and film equipment available to reconnaissance and bomber crews. He earned his crewman wings. He was sent overseas to 10th Air Force in India. On 19 August 1944, a B-25H5, # 43-4213, assigned to 10th Air Force, 12th Bomb Group, 83rd Bomb Squadron, departed the airfield at Feni, India, on a bombing misionover Monywa, Burma. The B-25 was seen to crash about 10 miles SE of Kangamati, India, at about 0945 hours. SSgt Lester C. Bartlett, 39856237, saw the crash. One parachute was used. SSgt Harasimowicz survived. After its bomb run, it lost altitude and a parachute exited. The B-25 crashed and burned. Then the bombs on board exploded. After recovery from the American military airfield cemetery at Barrackpore, India, his remains and those of crewmen Ferrer, Henning, Kostanko, and Villalonga, were buried in a group ceremony together in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky, on 14 May 1949 (Sec. E, Grave 55).